1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to a sink support shell apparatus and a method of making a sink support shell.
2. Description of Related Art
The desire of owners of homes, recreational vehicles, boats, aircraft, and the like, to decorate their home/vehicle with unique and elegant fixtures leads manufacturers and interior decorators to use more unique and expensive materials in the creation of such fixtures. This is especially true in the area of bathroom and kitchen fixtures.
One such material used in the creation of bathroom and kitchen sinks is marble and various types of stone, such as granite. However, the use of marble and stone sinks for the average customer is price and weight prohibitive. The average marble or stone sink weighs as much as 80 pounds due to the amount of material required to provide the necessary strength against breakage and impact. In addition, due to the amount of material used in the fabrication of such sinks, the installed cost can be upwards of five thousand dollars.
This large weight limits the uses of such marble and stone sinks since weight can greatly affect the performance of aircraft, boats, recreational vehicles, and other potential locations where such sinks might be installed.
Because of the expense and weight issues surrounding the use of such materials in providing elegant interiors, customers often elect to make use of imitation materials that are less costly and less heavy. However, these materials do not provide the same aesthetic quality that the natural marble and stone materials provide.
Thus, it would be beneficial to have an apparatus that would allow for lighter and less costly use of materials, such as marble and stone, in the fabrication of sinks. Moreover, it would be beneficial to have a method of making such an apparatus.
The present invention provides a sink support shell apparatus and method of making a sink support shell. The sink support shell apparatus according to the present invention is a shell shaped to be compatible with the sink that is to be placed in the sink support shell (hereafter referred to as the xe2x80x9cshellxe2x80x9d). The sink support shell includes a rim for mounting the shell either above or below the countertop level. The sink sits in shell and is attached to the shell by a waterproof adhesive, such as silicon glue.
The shell further includes an overflow/vent channel and stand-off in the base for attaching the shell to the necessary plumbing fixtures to allow for drainage of the water from the sink. The overflow/vent channel is formed in the material of the shell and allows water to flow down the channel to be drained by the attached plumbing fixtures. In addition, the overflow/vent channel provides an air channel that prevents pressure build up in the plumbing fixtures and suction noise during draining of the sink.
The sink support shell is made of high-impact material, such as a metal or hard plastic material. In a preferred embodiment, the sink support shell is formed from a hard plastic material. The hard plastic sink support shell may be created using thermal formed plastic in which a heated sheet of plastic is placed over a mold of the sink and cooled such that the plastic sheet takes on the form of the sink. Thereafter, the rim, overflow/vent channel, stand-off and drainage hole maybe formed by tooling the cooled plastic shell.
The high-impact material provides protection for the sink from impacts on the underside of the sink. In addition, the sink support shell provides a leak proof support in the event of cracks or breaks in the sink due to impacts on the upper surface of the sink. Moreover, the sink support shell provides a more aesthetically pleasing exterior for the underside of the sink.
Most importantly, the sink support shell of the present invention provides a support that provides strength and protection to the sink and thereby allows the sink to be fashioned from less material than prior art sinks. That is, because the sink support shell of the present invention provides the protection and strength needed to mount the sink to the countertop, protect against impacts, and the like, the sink may be fabricated from a thinner material. As a result, the weight and cost of the sink is reduced making it more affordable to customers and less of a concern with regard to installation in locations where weight is an issue.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in, or will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of, the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.